Help Wanted: Find me a job overseas!

It's hard enough to find a new job in your own town. So how do you begin your job search when you want your prospective employer to be somewhere on the other side of the globe? Take this quiz to find out if you're ready to embark on an international job search.

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Question 1 of 20

An overseas employer may ask you to submit a CV as the first step in your job application process. What do the letters CV stand for?

citizenship visa

curriculum vitae

Curriculum vitae is a Latin phrase that means (roughly translated), "the course of (one's) life." Depending on the country and the industry, a CV can range from a brief summary of your experience and qualifications to a lengthy, detailed explanation of your work and educational background.

currency valuation

Question 2 of 20

In an international job search, a CV usually takes the place of what U.S. equivalent?

resume

While the terms resume and CV are used interchangeably in some places, CV is the term more commonly found in an international job hunt.

cover letter

job application

Question 3 of 20

In certain countries, you'll need to show proof of this critical paperwork, or your application won't even get a second look. What is it?

immunization records

international baccalaureate degree

a work permit or work visa

Before you apply for any overseas job, be sure you understand the country's rules regarding work permits or work visas.

Question 4 of 20

True or false: One shortcut to finding an overseas job is to enter a country on a tourist visa, then apply for a work visa after you've found short-term employment and lived there for a while.

true

false

It's almost always the case that if you enter a country on a tourist visa, you are prevented from working there.

Question 5 of 20

In which country is it considered acceptable to include your photograph on your resume or CV?

France

It's not necessarily a requirement, but it is customary to include a small photo on at the top right corner of the resume you submit to potential employers in France.

New Zealand

United States

Question 6 of 20

True or false: You can't get an international job if you speak only English.

true

false

While certain positions such as translator or interpreter obviously require you to be fluent in at least one other language, bilingual skills aren't a requirement for every overseas job, especially if it's in an English-speaking country.

Question 7 of 20

True or false: Foreign language skills are the most important qualification for most overseas jobs.

true

false

Being fluent in Portuguese will surely make it easier for you to adjust to your new home in Lisbon, but in most cases it's your relevant work experience -- not your language skills -- that employers are most concerned about.

Question 8 of 20

According to the expatriate job site ExpatCareers.com, what percentage of jobs are unadvertised?

20 percent

50 percent

75 percent

While plenty of Web sites list international job openings, ExpatCareers estimates that 75 percent of open positions are never advertised.

Question 9 of 20

True or false: As an American living and working abroad, you are still required to file a federal tax return.

true

As a U.S. citizen, you're required to file a federal tax return and pay your share, no matter where you live. However, in most countries, any money you pay to a foreign government for income tax will offset what you would pay in U.S. income taxes, so there's no need to worry about being double taxed.

false

Question 10 of 20

What is the income tax rate in the United Arab Emirates?

0 percent

If you land a job in the UAE, you're bound to experience at least a little bit of culture shock, but the 0 percent income tax rate may help soften the blow.

14 percent

28 percent

Question 11 of 20

What country topped International Living magazine's Best Quality of Life list in 2011?

France

New Zealand

United States

If you can't find a job overseas, don't despair: The magazine devoted to international living ranked the good ol' U.S. of A. No. 1 on its annual list in 2011, ending France's five-year winning streak.

Question 12 of 20

True or false: You should expect to pay a substantial fee for international job search services.

true

false

Be wary of any individual or employment agency that asks you to send them money for job placement services, travel costs or visa fees.

Question 13 of 20

If you land a job in Denmark how many weeks paid vacation can you expect?

3 weeks

5 weeks

The Danes work hard throughout the year, but they also value their vacation, taking five paid weeks per year.

6 weeks

Question 14 of 20

According to the World Economic Forum's 2011 Gender Gap Report, what country is the best for working women in terms of opportunity, education and empowerment?

Iceland

If you're a career woman looking for a change of scene, Iceland may be worth a look. Ireland came in fifth, while the United States came in at No. 17, breaking the top 20 for only the second time in the five-year history of the list.

Ireland

United States

Question 15 of 20

True or false: The easiest way to find a job overseas is to find an international job with an American company.

true

false

In fact, American companies are more likely to hire local workers in the countries where their international facilities are located than to recruit employees from the United States.

Question 16 of 20

How many U.S. citizens currently work and reside abroad?

fewer than 3.5 million

around 4 million

more than 6 million

According to the Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO), more than 6.32 million Americans (excluding military) currently work and reside in 160 countries outside the United States.

Question 17 of 20

How long should you expect an international job search to take?

a few weeks

at least a few months

The length of your job search will, of course, vary depending on your qualifications, the job market in your industry, and the visa and permit requirements of your new country of residence, but as a rule, you'll need to spend at least a few months researching opportunities and taking care of documentation in addition to the time it takes you to land a job.

three years or more

Question 18 of 20

True or false: In order to teach English abroad, you must be fluent in the local language.

true

false

When you teach English abroad, you are typically not required or expected to speak the local language.

Question 19 of 20

How many countries around the world consider English their primary language?

25

more than 40

English is the primary language in more than 40 countries, and it's considered a secondary language in dozens more.

more than 60

Question 20 of 20

True or false: As long as you have a valid work visa, you don't need a passport to travel to your new job.

true

false

A work visa makes it legal for you to live and work in a foreign country for a specific period of time, but first you have to get in!